What does math have to do with it?

What does math have to do with . . . Music? More with Physics and Math actually. Take the piano for example, the wavelength of each of the strings plays a different sound when it is shorten or lengthen. It uses the characteristics of fractions. Violins, Guitars, and pretty much any string instruments. Instruments like Flutes make use of the resonance effect of sound waves.

In Physics we have a formula for calculating "Beats" in Hz. It goes as Fbeat = l f1 - f2 l. If f1 and f2 are the same, then we do not get a beat. l...l are absolute value signs Rhythms are math-based, with the notes being fractions-

Whole notes, 4 beats Half notes, 1/2 * 4 = 2 beats Quarter notes, 1 beat

Dot behind the note means you multiply by 1.5. Also, the way musical patterns work, they work by numbers. Chords are always a certain amount of half-notes apart. A major chord, with 1 being the base note, goes 1, up 4 then up 3. Scales are always 7 notes (the 8th note being the 1st note, an octave higher). I think that the musical theory just uses the same area of your brain as mathematical concepts, so learning one will help improve your ability to learn the other

What does math have to do with . . . Cooking?

Ratios: Relationships between quantities That ingredients have relationships to each other in a recipe is an important concept in cooking. It's also an important math concept. In math, this relationship between 2 quantities is called a ratio. If a recipe calls for 1 egg and 2 cups of flour, the relationship of eggs to cups of flour is 1 to 2. In mathematical language, that relationship can be written in two ways: 1/2 or 1:2 or one to two Both of these express the ratio of eggs to cups of flour: 1 to 2. If you mistakenly alter that ratio, the results may not be edible.

Working with proportion All recipes are written to serve a certain number of people or yield a certain amount of food. You might come across a cookie recipe that makes 2 dozen cookies, for example. What if you only want 1 dozen cookies? What if you want 4 dozen cookies? Understanding how to increase or decrease the yield without spoiling the ratio of ingredients is a valuable skill for any cook.

Math in Cooking  Math and the ability to tell time are essentials when it comes to cooking. In fact, all phases of cooking require some math, including meal planning, grocery shopping, food budgeting, baking, measuring ingredients, adjusting recipes, and storing and freezing food. Precision matters when it comes to adding and combining ingredients. While basic math comprehension may get you by in the kitchen, a thorough understanding of addition, subtraction, division, fractions, measurements and knowing how to make conversions are essentials for routine cooking and meal planning.

Math and the Food Budget  If an individual makes $200 a week, and the following bills are due: $50 phone, $75 electric, and $20 or gas, that will leave $55 for groceries. Meals and necessities will have to be planned according to a budget of $55, which must include tax.

Math and Meal Planning  Planning meals and making a grocery list demand basic math skills. Grocery store items may have to be doubled if a recipe is for four servings and eight servings are needed. The number of people being served will determine how recipes must be adjusted.

Math and Grocery Shopping  Basic addition and subtraction are in order to stay within budget. Additionally, you can calculate the cost of items to be purchased and sales tax, you'll be able to adjust spending to take advantage of any sale items and specials.

Math and the Oven  Baking requires the ability to tell time and how to determine cooking times. If 1 lb. of turkey meat requires 20 minutes of roasting time, how long will it take to cook an 18-lb. bird in a 325-degree F oven? You also must be able to read thermometers to determine cooking time.

Math and Stove Top Cooking  In certain instances, stove top cooking time may need to be adjusted to accommodate a specific weight of food or type of meat for dinner. If you're making candy for dessert, you must also be able to read a thermometer.

Math and Measuring Ingredients  While just about every task in the kitchen requires some type of math, measuring ingredients demands the most precision. If you're going to make chocolate chip cookies, you'll have to use both cups and spoons to measure out the ingredients. If the cookies are for a bake sale, then you'll want to double the recipe. What does math have to do with . . . Photography? In digital photography it could be used when editing or taking the picture an example could be changing pixels or maybe angles needed for a picture.

In manual film cameras math is needed much more like when mixing chemicals The aperture on a camera (controls the amount of light let on to the film to capture the image) and shutter time (how long the light is let on to the film) has to be determined. All mostly has to do with times on exposure and chemical ratios. What does math have to do with . . . Science?

Simple. Science is based upon theory and/or outcome. Basic probability. Combine elements and get compounds. Mix electrons, neutrons, protons to build or destroy universes. All of physical matter is based upon a mathematical formula that keeps things in balance (think equation). And then there is Chemistry. Let’s mix things together in unknown amounts and see what happens! Getting interested – delve into Physics – how the world is what it is, black holes, string cheese theory, quantum leaps and bounds into the smallest and largest realms of the cosmos.

What does math have to do with . . . Sports? How many of us would rather watch ESPN's Sportscenter than do math homework? Anything that has to do with numbers/math relating to any sport should be a listed below. Baseball Other than being able to count to three outs or nine innings or add up the score, not much. Baseball players have not typically been recognized as towering intellects, which is not to say that all baseball players are stupid, just that being terribly smart is not required to be a good player. But, mathematics can be used to analyze baseball and that's an entirely different story. Understanding the physics and math behind the sport can be an extensive field of study. Some would say that you need to be fairly intelligent in math to analyze baseball. Statistics on certain hitters and pitchers determine what a coach or player will do in certain situations at certain points of the game. Also the players in the field can watch a ball come off of a bat and determine how far it will fly or what kind of bounce it will take when it hits the ground. There are tons of examples in baseball and you need to be very attentive to succeed in this sport. Not to mention that the game of baseball is driven by statistics. From batting average, to earned run average, slugging percentage, on base percentage, etc... Batting Average Batting average is the most widely used and recognized measure of a hitter. Calculating a player's batting average can be done in four easy steps: 1.) Add up the number of hits the player has. 2.) Add up the number of at bats. Note: At bats include every time you hit safely or hit into an out, including a strike out. Getting on base by an error or fielder's choice is considered an out. A Sacrifice, walk or hit by pitch is not counted as an at bat. 3.) Divide hits by at bats. 4.) Round off to the third decimal place. (So .30012=.300) Slugging Percentage Slugging percentage, like batting average, is a way of using math to analyze a baseball player. Slugging percentage is different than batting average in that it show's a hitters power, whereas batting average shows only how often a player gets a hit. Slugging percentage is calculated in four steps: 1.) Add up all official at bats. Remember: don't include at bats which resulted in a walk, sacrifices, or hit by pitch. 2.) Add up total bases. (How many bases the hitter reached in all the times he hit safely.) 3.) Divide total bases by official at bats. 4.) Round to the third decimal place, just like batting average.

Sabermetrics Sabermetrics is the mathematical and statistical analysis of baseball. Sabermetrics has become widely popular among Major League Baseball GM's and front offices. It's a non-traditional way of evaluating hitting performance, pitching performance, and fielding performance. Using sabermetrics has helped smaller market teams compete with larger market, big money franchises like the New York Yankees. This is because sabermetrics calls into question the statistical methods historically used to evaluate baseball teams and personnel. For example, batting average has traditionally been how hitters are evaluated. It follows, then, that players with the highest batting averages earn the biggest contracts, thus costing more and making it difficult for small market teams to acquire them. (Baseball does not have a salary cap, so big- money teams like the Yankees generally are loaded with hitters who have high batting averages. But, teams that buy into sabermetrics will value players with high on base percentages (which takes into account at bats that result in walks and hit by pitch) over those with only a high batting average. This is because, according to statistical analysis of total base- runners, runs scored, and wins, higher on base percentage translates more directly to runs scored, which translates to wins. Because it is cheaper to acquire players with high on base percentages who are not typically all-stars with gaudy batting average and home run numbers, teams with smaller payrolls are able to compete with big-money teams through the use of sabermetrics. This is just one of the many (and complicated) applications of sabermetrics. The is that through the use of non traditional statistical and mathematical analysis of baseball, teams with less money are able to compete with the teams that year after year attempt buy a World Series championship. Physics of Baseball – Things such as angle, trajectory, and speed all play a very important role when shooting a basketball. Math is not simply a part of basketball, it completely consumes the game. Varying from the score, time, minutes played, number of quarters, how many minutes each player plays, how far a shot is, the shot clock, etc. the list goes on and on. First of course is the score. If a player makes a basket from inside the three point line it is worth two points, and if they make a basket beyond the three point line it counts for three points. A three point play can also be made if the player makes a shot inside the three point line and is fouled and makes the . Now some believe that it is only possible to score three points in one play but that is incorrect. A player can score four points in one play if they shoot and make a three point basket and they are fouled in the act of shooting. They also have to make the free throw following the and that is called a four point play. Now to move onto player statistics. Many basketball fans know what a double-double or a triple-double is, but for those who are not big fans it is a big part of the game as far as math and statistics are concerned. When a player receives a double-double they have at least 10 items in two of the following categories: points, rebounds, steals, blocks or assists. For a player to accomplish a triple-double they have to that in three of these subjects. So the math terms double-double and triple-double are huge parts of basketball; the elusive quadruple-double has only been done by a handful of players. A three-point (also known as three-pointer) is a field goal in a basketball game, made from beyond the three-point line, a designated arc radiating from the basket. A successful attempt is worth three points, in contrast to the two points awarded for shots made inside the three point line. A three-point field goal is distinguished from a "three-point play," which occurs when a shooter successfully scores a two-point basket while being fouled, and then makes the ensuing free throw. If such a foul occurs on a successful three-point shot, the resulting free throw gives the player a chance to earn a four point play. Shooting Percentage A player's shooting percentage is determined simply by dividing the number of shoots made by the number of shots taken. For example, if a player made 7 shoots and took 13 then the player would have a shooting percentage of 54%. This is also done for a player's free throws and three point field goals as well. The NBA's all time percentage leaders: Player Rating The Player Efficiency Rating (PER) is a per- rating developed by ESPN.com columnist John Hollinger. In John's words, "The PER sums up all a player's positive accomplishments, subtracts the negative accomplishments, and returns a per-minute rating of a player's performance." PER Formula to Ratio A statistic that is determined by dividing the number of assist a player has with the number of turnovers a player has. A player with a higher assist to turnover ratio is seen to be a more efficient player than someone with a lower one in a purely statistical sense. Some great players where you might recognize these numbers for are Rajon Rondo for the Celtics, Derek Fisher for the LA Lakers, and for the New Orleans Hornets. NCAA Tournament Sixty five teams enter this tournament and only one will win their last game. There are four different tournaments where each winner moves on to the Final Four which is basically another tournament to see who the overall winner is of the entire process. Each of the smaller tournaments have sixteen teams in their tournament except for one that has seventeen. The one with seventeen has an extra game to determine who is the sixteenth seed in that tournament. 16th seed plays the #1 (in the history of the tournament, no 16 seed has ever upset a 1 seed)seed in each tournament and 15th plays 2nd and so on until a winner is determined in each smaller tournament called regionals. After each regional is over and the winners of these regionals are determined, the winners meet in the last tournament called the Final Four. After this is over only one team remains and they are the only ones to win all their games of the tournament and are declared national champions. The University of Arkansas Razorbacks accomplished this feat in 1994! In 2011, the "Big Dance" as the tournament is referred to will have the field expand to 68 teams. The tournament will function in the exact same way, except there will be 4 play-in-games (8 teams) to distinguish who will be the 16 seeds in the tournament playing a 1 seed in the first round. Football When you watch the Super Bowl and you see Drew Brees or Peyton Manning throw a pass completion, think about the math used in connection with completed pass. Math is used in professional football in every practice, training camp, pre- season game, and regular season game. Without math it would just be a game that uses pigskin. Let's look at the completed pass and the math involved. The quarterback is tracked by the percentage of completions attempted and made, along with completion yards. The distance he threw the ball and which side of the field he threw the ball. In addition, to the completion percentage based on taking the snap from under center or shotgun. These pigskin numbers are all used to develop a mathematical model of the quarterback, for statistical comparison with other quarterbacks. The receiver who caught the pass is judged on the number of passes thrown to him and the number of catches. He is also judged on the number yards he gains after the catch and areas that he catches the passes. Just like the quarterback these pigskin numbers are all used to develop a mathematical model of the receiver, for statistical comparison with other receivers. Let's look at other math used in professional football. The team who scores the most points wins, true. However the better team of the field may not be the winning team, because luck does prevail in football like other sports. Statistically a team can run all over the other team and lose. For example:  Team A: Passing Yards - 375, Rushing Yards - 135, Kick Off Return Yards - 73, Quarterback Completion 22 of 35, Quarterback Rating 88.7, and Punt Return Yards 36.  Team B: Passing Yards - 250, Rushing Yards - 99, Kick Off Return Yards - 101, Quarterback Completion 17of 40, Quarterback Rating 56.5, and Punt Return Yards 22. Team A is statistically better than Team B, however Team B won. One statistic that is not shown is turnovers. Team A had 4 Turnovers and lost 4; and Team B had no turnovers. Turnovers cost Team A the game. When it comes to football math is everywhere. Let's take a look at players and the math for football players. Now we have already talked about the playing statistical model, but what about the player. The statistical model of a player includes his height, weight, body measurements, 40 yard dash time, vertical reach height, how many times can he lift a certain weight, how much weight can he lift, how fast can he run an obstacle course, and more. Before scouts and coaches ever look at or talk to a potential player, they view the player's statistical model and the players playing statistical model. If they like what they see in the numbers, then they will actually talk to the player. Professional football is more than moving the pigskin 100 yards to score 6 points and then the point after kick for 1 point. Maybe the team had to settle for a field goal from the 40 yard line to make a 50 yard field goal for 3 points. Maybe they tried a 2 point conversation after the touchdown. To achieve points a team has to move the pigskin at least 10 yards within 4 downs to get another set of 4 downs. All the time the play clock is ticking down from 25 seconds to 0 for the quarterback to get the play off, if not then a 5 yard penalty. This all has to be accomplished in 60 minutes of playing time divided into 4 fifteen minute quarters, with 2 fifteen minute quarters in each half. Oh yeah, each team has 3 time outs in each half that they can use for 30 second timeouts. And then there are the 2 minute warnings just before the end of each half. Whew, math is everywhere in football. Physics in Football Player Numbers Ever wonder why certain players only wear certain numbers? In the NFL, there are specific rules for what numbers are available for what positions. As of right now the rules are: 1-19 Quarterbacks, Kickers, Punters, and Receivers if 80-89 are unavailable 20-49 Running backs, Defensive Backs, and Tightends if 80-89 are unavailable 50-59 Linebackers and Offensive and Defensive Linemen 60-79 Offensive and Defensive Linemen 80-89 Receivers and Tightends 90-99 Linebackers and Defensive Linemen Sometimes while watching a game and looking around the stadium you may see random numbers or jersey's put up around the field. These are retired numbers of famous players. If a player has a great career with a certain team that team can chose to retire their number so that it can never be used again. For example Jackie Robinson's number 42 is retired throughout all of Major League Baseball.  In baseball and basketball the numbers the players wear doesn't matter you can wear any number from 00-99  In NASCAR the number can be any double digit number from 09-99. The #3 and #43 have won the most championships under the drivers Dale Earnhart and Richard Petty. The #43 is still in operation after Petty's retirement, but the #3 has been retired after the sudden death of Earnhart. The #13 was only driven one year and after that never again, I guess drivers have number superstitions also. Passer Rating Passer rating (also known as passing efficiency or quarterback rating) is the statistic most used to measure quarterbacks in football. Quarterback (QB) rating is calculated using each quarterback's completion percentage, passing yardage, touchdowns and interceptions. However, as noted by NFL.com, it should be remembered that this system is technically used to rate passers, not quarterbacks. In other words, these statistics do not take into account intangibles such as leadership and play calling that make for a successful quarterback. In the National Football League, this statistic is referred to as passer rating, whereas in the NCAA (college football), it is formally known as passing efficiency or pass efficiency. A perfect passer rating in the NFL is 158.3, while perfect passing efficiency in college football is 1261.6. You probably noticed perfect QB ratings for the NCAA and the NFL are different. This is because the two entities use different formulas to equate QB rating. The calculation of the NFL QB rating is more complicated than the NCAA and involves more steps. According to Wikipedia, the formula for NCAA pass efficiency is as follows: (8.4xYards)+(330xTouchdowns)+(100xcompletions)-(200xInterceptions)/Attempts The NFL quarterback rating is calculated using the same four criteria, but over a series of five formulas: a = ((Completions/Attempts x 100)-30) x.05 b = (Yards/Attempts - 3)x .25 c = (Touchdowns/Attempts)x20 d = 2.375 -(Interceptions/Attempts x 25) Passer Rating_{NFL} = {(a + b + c + d) / 6 X 100 If all this seems too complicated, to find the QB rating of your favorite college or pro quarterback, there are really cool QB rating calculators all over the internet where you just type in the four categories (completion percentage, passing yardage, touchdowns, and interceptions) and click on NCAA or NFL. A good one can be found at the original quarterback rating calculator at prime computing online: [4] NFL Combine Numbers The NFL Scouting combine comes every February in Indianapolis, Indiana. The purpose of the combine is for football players who have just completed their college careers to perform physical and mental tests for NFL coaches, general managers, and scouts. Scores on these tests can be very important. Individuals with bad "combine numbers" can fall in bad favor with NFL teams, causing them to be picked in later rounds- which can cost them millions of dollars in potential salary. Tests/evaluations where numbers and scores are important are: 40-yard dash, bench press, vertical jump, broad jump, 3 cone drills, 20 yard shuttle, 60 yard shuttle and the Wonderlic test. It should be noted that there are other tests and position specific drills associated with the combine; these are just the ones that stress the importance of math and numbers in the evaluation of NFL prospects. 40 Yard Dash In a sport where speed kills, this test could mean the most for prospects in terms of money and their draft stock. One example of this is former Arkansas quarterback, who effectively raised his value with a 4.39 time in the 40, eventually giving the Jacksonville Jaguars cause to take Jones with the 21st pick in the 2005 draft. Jones had previously been projected as a 3rd round or later pick. Bench Press The bench press is designed to test prospects' upper body strength. Players bench press 225 times as many times as they can. Former Razorback Mitch Petrus recently tied the record with 45 repetitions at the 2010 combine. Vertical Jump The vertical jump is measured when an athlete stands flat footed and jumps as high as he can. A pole with plastic flags on it is adjusted based on the athlete's height. The objective is to jump and swat as many of the plastic flags as possible, giving the event judge an accurate reading of the height the player jumped. Broad Jump The broad jump is also done from a standing position, but this drill measures how far a player can jump. This drill is most important to positions that use lower body strength to gain an advantage (i.e. offensive and defensive linemen and running backs). The length of the jump is measured from the starting point to the back of the heel closest to the starting point upon landing. 3 Cone Drill Tests speed, agility and cutting ability. Three cones are set up in a triangle or L shape, with each cone 5 yards apart. The player starts in a 3-point stance at the first cone. The whistle blows and the player sprints 5 yards ahead to the first cone, reaches down and touches a white line and then sprints back to the starting cone. At the starting cone, he reaches down and touches a white line, and then heads back to the second cone. This time, he runs around the outside of the second cone, and cuts right to the third cone. He runs a circle around the third cone from the inside to the outside, and then runs around the second cone before returning to the first cone. 20 Yard Shuttle The 20 yard shuttle test lateral speed and coordination. The player starts in a three point stance, straddling a yard line facing the sideline. When the whistle blows, the player runs 5 yards to one side, touching the yard line. He then sprints 10 yards in the other direction and again touches the yard line, at which point he sprints back to the yard line he started from. 60 Yard Shuttle The 60 yard shuttle is basically the same drill as the 20 yard shuttle. The only difference is that instead of running 5 yards, 10 yards then 5 yards, the player runs 10 yards to one side, then back 20 yards and then 10 yards to the starting point. This drill is probably the best test of endurance in the entire combine. The Wonderlic Test The Wonderlic test is designed to test a players I.Q. The test is 50 questions long, and each player is only given 23 minutes to complete it. Though the test is very rarely completed, the Wonderlic is typically regarded as a good way to measure a player's intelligence. Rankings You may notice beside the name of a team a number ranging from 1-25. These numbers are representatives of what this team or teams are ranked in the country at that present time. Rankings are formed by current coaches and the media. You may see these rankings in multiple polls such as the USA Today or Coaches Poll found on any major sports website. In regards to football these rankings exist from the preseason to the final poll after the national championship. Throughout the season theses rankings determine what bowls teams go to and what titles they may play for at the end of the season. These numbers play a big part in sports today. -- ranking is always hard because there is no way every one voting in the poll's can watch every game and make an educated decision. FANTASY SPORTS Fantasy sports such as fantasy football and fantasy baseball are totally driven by numbers and stats. You have to really pay attention to the statistics of the game to know who you are supposed to draft in order to make your team better. The player you want may be on a horrible team, but the player has great stats and that is the key to winning in a fantasy league. If you really want to challenge your knowledge of sports and you enjoy using math to predict how certain players or teams will perform week in and week out, then you need to join a fantasy sports league. Snowboarding Did you ever wonder how snowboarders are able to rotate their bodies in the air and call their tricks crazy names like 360s and McTwists? Well many boarders have contributed their success to mathematical reasoning and statistical analysis. Not only are snowboards fitted to an athlete's height, weight, etc., but they are also manufactured on the basis of the toughness of terrain. And when snowboarders refer to tricks such as a 360, it means that they are literally turning their bodies 360 degrees in the air. A snowboarder has to calculate how fast they must go in order to receive the height they need to perfect a particular trick. They don't call it an extreme sport for nothing! Outdoor Leisure Sports Hiking, camping, and canoeing/kayaking are a few of the outdoor leisure sports that college students and others love to enjoy, especially in NW Arkansas. Different types of math are used to enjoy these activities and most people wouldn't even think about them. Hiking involves knowing how far you are hiking, whether you measure in feet, miles, kilometers, or time (such as minutes, hours, or days). You plan out your route and figure out supplies based on your hike distance calculations. Also with hiking, you plan your route on terrain, incline and what you are carrying. Camping is alot like hiking in the fact that you need to make some mathematical calculations before you head out. You need to determine the size of your tent or camper to accommodate the number and size of people going camping with you. You also need to determine the supplies needed for your trip in the same way. When canoeing or kayaking you need to determine the distance you are floating whether it be a physical distance or a distance of time. Supplies for your trip are determined the same way. Floating a river takes many different math processes as well. You need to maintain a good center of gravity as to not tip over your boat. You need to determine the speed you need to enter rapids, so you can navigate them properly as well. Also by paddling certain ways you can make the boat do what you want it to which is essential to making it down river safely. Finally, the biggest mathematical factor in any outdoor leisure sport is meteorology. If you are planning any outdoor activity you need to check with a credible meteorologist to determine whether it is safe to be outside or maybe plan for another time. Also if the weather is bad, you might not want to go camping or hiking either. So think about it next time you want to go enjoy the outdoors, there is math in everything we do. Golf Golf is full of math and physics. From the fact that there are eighteen holes to the number of clubs you use to the different angles on each club. There are so many mathematical aspects to golf that there have been books written on the subject. Each hole is a different length and no two holes are exactly the same. Golf courses have no prerequisite on how they have to be laid out, every golf course is different. All holes in golf are either par 3, 4, or 5. Par is what the golf course believes you should make the hole in that many shots, so if you have a par 4 hole and you make it in 4 shots then you make par. The object of golf is to make as many holes as you can under par. One shot under par is called a birdie and 2 shots under is called an eagle and if you happen to be extremely lucky and be 3 under par on a hole it is called double eagle. There are also penalties for going over par, if you are 1 over par that is called a bogie and 2 over is a double bogie and so on. When playing golf you need to determine the hole’s distance and weather conditions and obstacles to determine which club you will use. Different clubs have different angles on the heads and are built different to maximize your shot. Fatigue can also be a factor in golf in the later rounds due to the length of some courses. If you are not in a golf cart, you can walk 2-6 miles on a golf course. Golf is a sport that many people enjoy and there are more math aspects of the game than most people can imagine.